Since 2005 the French scientific landscape has undergone manifold changes: New agencies of governance, financing and evaluation of research have been founded, which set existing institutions and structures under pressure. What are the causes of these changes? Who are the driving forces, who the opponents? Which are the aims of these reforms, and what are the main points of criticism of them? To answer these questions the authoress has interviewed French researchers as well as representatives of the administration of research and of trade unions. The present study attempts to reconstruct the actual changes of the French scientific landscape out of the perspective of participating actors.